1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to door wedges used between a door and a floor, and, more particularly, to door wedges which include a spring for exerting a force between a door and a floor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of door wedges is well known for placement between a door and a floor, primarily to keep the door open and preventing the door to close while the wedge is in use.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to using spring action in conjunction with a door wedge, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,142,752, 4,501,444, 5,008,648, and 5,447,347.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,752 discloses a burglar entry stop device which employs a wedge. A spring-biased steel pin is contiguous with the underside with an upper steel plate. The spring does not extend between and upper plate and a lower plate. Therefore, the spring does not exert a direct upward force on the bottom of the door on which the wedge is employed. In this respect, for purposes of efficiency and efficacy, it would be desirable if a door wedge were provided which employs a spring which applies a direct upward force on the bottom of a door on which the wedge is employed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,444 discloses a door wedge which has a spring-containing latching mechanism. The latching mechanism serves to keep the wedge compressed when the wedge is not in use. More specifically, the spring-containing latch mechanism is parallel to the top surface and serves to lock the top member to the bottom member when the wedge is not in use. Clearly, the spring does not provide an upward force on the bottom of a door on which the wedge is employed. Moreover, the spring disclosed in this device is interconnected between both the upper and lower wedge members. In this respect, for purposes of efficiency and efficacy, it would be desirable if a door wedge were provided which employs a spring that is interconnected between both the upper and lower wedge members.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,648 discloses an electronic door wedge alarm in which a spring is placed between a slide bracket and the bottom chassis. The spring is adjacent to side-mounted pivot members. Clearly, the spring does not exert an upward force on a door, and the spring is not interconnected between both upper and lower wedge members.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,347 discloses an auxiliary door stop. A spring-loaded wedge member is provided that is located at the top of a bottom base. The top spring-loaded wedge member has an upper wedge member surface and a lower surface wedge member surface which are spaced apart from each other at approximately 45 degrees. The spring is interconnected between the bottom base and the lower surface wedge member surface. More specifically, the spring is not interconnected between the bottom base and the upper wedge member surface which actually contacts the door. However, for purposes of simplicity and efficacy, it would be desirable if a wedge apparatus were provided which employs a spring that is interconnected between an upper door-contacting wedge member and a lower floor-contacting wedge member without any intervening wedge members that do not contact either a door or a floor.
As a matter of interest, U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,369 discloses a door stop which has a circular top portion that is wedged between a door and floor. A spring is not provided with this door wedge.
Other features would also be desirable in a door wedge apparatus. For example, it would be desirable if a door wedge apparatus included a quantity of high friction material bonded to a top surface of a door-contacting wedge member.
It would also be desirable if a door wedge apparatus included a quantity of high friction material bonded to a bottom surface of a floor-contacting wedge member.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use a door wedge apparatus, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a door wedge apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) employs a spring which applies a direct upward force on the bottom of a door on which the wedge is used; (2) employs a spring that is interconnected between both the upper and lower wedge members; (3) employs a spring that is interconnected between an upper door-contacting wedge member and a lower floor-contacting wedge member without any intervening wedge members that do not contact either a door or a floor; (4) includes a quantity of high friction material bonded to a top surface of a door-contacting wedge member; and (5) includes a quantity of high friction material bonded to a bottom surface of a floor-contacting wedge member.
The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique door wedge apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.